Synonyms for CAUTIOUS
ˈkɔ ʃəscau·tious

WiktionaryRate these synonyms:3.7 / 3 votes

1. cautiousadjective

   Antonyms:
   careless, neglecting

2. cautiousadjective

   He took a few cautious steps out the door.

   Antonyms:
   neglecting, careless

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. cautious

   Vigilant implies more sustained activity and more intelligent volition than alert; one may be habitually alert by reason of native quickness of perception and thought, or one may be momentarily alert under some excitement or expectancy; one who is vigilant is so with thoughtful purpose. One is vigilant against danger or harm; he may be alert or watchful for good as well as against evil; he is wary in view of suspected stratagem, trickery, or treachery. A person may be wakeful because of some merely physical excitement or excitability, as through insomnia; yet he may be utterly careless and negligent in his wakefulness, the reverse of watchful; a person who is truly watchful must keep himself wakeful while on watch, in which case wakeful has something of mental quality. Watchful, from the Saxon, and vigilant, from the Latin, are almost exact equivalents; but vigilant has somewhat more of sharp definiteness and somewhat more suggestion of volition; one may be habitually watchful; one is vigilant of set purpose and for direct cause, as in the presence of an enemy. Compare ALERT.

   Synonyms:
   alert, awake, careful, circumspect, on the alert, on the lookout, sleepless, vigilant, wakeful, wary, watchful, wide-awake

   Antonyms:
   careless, drowsy, dull, heedless, inattentive, incautious, inconsiderate, neglectful, negligent, oblivious, thoughtless, unwary

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. timid, cautiousadjective

   people who are fearful and cautious

   "whitewater rafting is not for the timid"

   Synonyms:
   timid, cautious

   Antonyms:
   tearaway(a), immoderate, madcap, hotheaded, incautious, impetuous, impulsive, brainish

2. cautiousadjective

   showing careful forethought

   "reserved and cautious; never making swift decisions"; "a cautious driver"

   Synonyms:
   conservative

   Antonyms:
   incautious, impetuous, madcap, brainish, impulsive, tearaway(a), hotheaded, immoderate

3. cautious, conservativeadjective

   avoiding excess

   "a conservative estimate"

   Synonyms:
   bourgeois, materialistic, button-down, buttoned-down, conservative, cautious

   Antonyms:
   impetuous, hotheaded, incautious, immoderate, brainish, madcap, tearaway(a), impulsive

Editors ContributionRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. careful, to hold-back, vigilant, wary, unsure

   i would be cautious about walking there after dark.

   Submitted by Soulwriter on June 13, 2021  

2. hesitant

   i would be cautious about walking there after dark.

   Submitted by anonymous on June 30, 2021  

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. cautiousadjective

   Synonyms:
   prudent, wary, careful, heedful, chary, circumspect, discreet, watchful, vigilant

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. cautiousadjective

   Synonyms:
   circumspect, prudent, wary

   Antonyms:
   incautious, unwary

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:4.0 / 1 vote

1. List of paraphrases for "cautious":

   prudent, careful, wary, warned, circumspect, conservative, vigilant, precautionary, timid, prudential, caution, prudence, wise

How to pronounce CAUTIOUS?

How to say CAUTIOUS in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use CAUTIOUS in a sentence?

1. Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso:

   I don't know how my previous remarks were taken but Japan has been cautious all along, as these conditions are not met at all now we cannot give the answer by March 31 unless we receive responses.

2. Kiran Ganesh:

   Our take is central banks are going to look through the inflationary effects of energy prices, individual (central bank) governors are sounding a bit more cautious but we are not going to see substantial rate hikes.

3. Marie Menke:

   If a woman is 26 years old, [ not ovulating ] for the last three years after she started eating unhealthy in college and became 10 pounds heavier, then I might say,' try this first ; don't go straight to IVF.' But I'd be cautious to wait a year on a diet if a woman is 40 years old. That would make me a little bit worried.

4. Louis Kuijs:

   We remain cautious on this. It is unlikely that the bulk of existing tariffs will be removed soon and other types of restrictions are also coming, implying decoupling and tension.

5. Chinese Estates ':

   Directors are cautious and concerned about the recent development of China Evergrande Group including certain disclosures made by China Evergrande Group on its liquidity.